nibble

Meaning

Verb

1. (transitive) To take a small, quick bite, or several of such bites, of (something).
2. (transitive) To lightly bite (a person or animal, or part of their body), especially in a loving or playful manner; to nip.
3. (transitive) To make (a hole in something) through small bites.
4. (transitive) To make (one's way) through or while taking small bites.
5. (transitive) Chiefly followed by into or to: to cause (something) to be in a certain state through small bites.
6. (transitive) Followed by away, off, etc.: to remove (something) through small bites.
7. (transitive) Followed by away, off, etc.: to remove (something) through small bites.
8. (obsolete, transitive) To fidget or play with (something), especially with the fingers or hands.
9. (obsolete, slang, transitive) To catch (someone); to nab.
10. (obsolete, slang, transitive) To steal (something); to pilfer.
11. (intransitive) Chiefly followed by at, away, or on: to take a small, quick bite, or several of such bites; to eat (at frequent intervals) with small, quick bites.
12. (intransitive) To lightly bite, especially in a loving or playful manner.
13. (figuratively, intransitive) Chiefly followed by at: to show slight interest in something, such as a commercial opportunity or a proposal.
14. (figuratively, intransitive) Followed by away at: to reduce or use up gradually; to eat.
15. (figuratively, informal, intransitive) Followed by at: of a batter: to make an indecisive attempt to bat a ball bowled outside the off stump.
16. (figuratively, intransitive) Synonym of tramline (“of a vehicle: to tend to follow the contours of the ground with its wheels”).
17. (intransitive, obsolete) To fidget or play, especially with the fingers or hands.
18. (intransitive, obsolete) Chiefly followed by at: to make insignificant complaints; to carp, to cavil, to find fault.
19. (intransitive, obsolete, slang) To engage in sexual intercourse.

Noun

1. An act of taking a small, quick bite, or several of such bites, especially with the front teeth; the bite or bites so taken.
2. A light bite of a person or animal, or part of their body, especially one which is loving or playful; a nip.
3. An amount of food that is or can be taken into the mouth through a small bite; a small mouthful.
4. (figuratively) A slight show of interest in something, such as a commercial opportunity or a proposal.
5. (obsolete, rare) Grass or other vegetation eaten by livestock; forage, pasturage.

Noun

A unit of memory equal to half a byte, or chiefly four bits.

Synonyms

bite

gnaw

peck

nip

nybble

bite at

chew

snack

munch

nag

pick

⛏️

gnaw at

graze

crumb

piece

pinch

snap

taste

tidbit

peck at

snap at

pasture

comforter

biting

pick at

bite with front teeth

browse

plane

catch

have a smattering of

sting

suck

child’s pacifier

eat

🍽️

tweak

twinge

whittle away

divide in two

crunch

knap

morsel

eat little by little

nab

gradually do something

nick

grass

pasturage

Translations

knabbern

grignoter

knabbelen

mordicchiare

rosicchiare

knagen

mordisquear

mordiscar

mordiller

mordiscar

δαγκώνω

mangiucchiare

ronger

nibble

morso

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈnɪbəl/

Etymology

Cognate with Dutch: nibbelen

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: nibje

In summary

The verb is derived from Late Middle English nebillen, nebyll (“to peck away at (something), nibble; (figurative) to attempt to sing (a part of a song)”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Middle Low German nibbelen (“to eat in small bites, peck”) (modern German Low German nibbeln, gnibbeln, knibbeln), possibly a variant of knabbelen, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gnet- (“to press”) or imitative.
The noun is derived from the verb.
Cognates
* Middle Dutch cnibbelen (modern Dutch knibbelen (“to gnaw; to murmur”), nibbelen (“to nibble”))
* Saterland Frisian nibje (“to nibble”)
* West Frisian knibbelje